Banjo-resonator.



Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

/NI/E/VTOH ATTORNEYS L. YOSCO.

BANJO RESONATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21,1917.

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III| II II WITNESSES UNITED sra-Tus PATENT onirica- LAWRENCE Yosoo, or NnW vonk, NJY.

BANJO-nnsoNATon.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that lf` LAWRENCE `Yosco,.a citizen of the United States, Aand a resident of the city of New York, .borough of Mairy hattan, inthe county and State lof New 'Yorin have'inventeda new and Improved BanjjofRcsonator, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description..

This invention-,relates to musical instruments and particularly tovbanjos, and has for an objet the provision of an improved construction which .will cause the banjo to have a clear tone in rainy or wetweather as well as in dry weather.

Anothery obj ect of the invention is to pro'- vide a banjo with a resonator formed with compartmentsand a pair of rings so construfted and arranged as to provide spaced supports for the head.

A furthervobjectof the invention is to provide` a banjo with` means for forming different compartments and thereby producing better carrying qualities.

A still further Object of the invention is to improve the construction of a banjo or similar instrument so as toincrease the volume and improve the quality of tone as Well as make it a dependable instrument in all kinds of Weather for all sizes and types.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the banjo disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig-2 is a bottom plan view of the structure` shown in Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away for better illustrating the structure.

Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 1 on line 3-3, same being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through Fig. 1 on line 4F41, same being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a. detail fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, but disclosing a slightly moditied construction.

Referring t0 the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the resonator of the banjo and 2 the neck whifh is of substantially usual construction with the exception of a slight difference shown in Fig. 3, namely the arrangement of the downwardly extending portion 3 having a notch for accommodating the head 4 of a clamping screw 5. Screw 5 passes through the lower 4part of the resonator 1 and is held in place by one or more nuts 6. The screw 7 passes through the head 0r eyelet member 4 of the screw specification, of ,Lettersraten i j Patented Dcfi, 191s. i

Application filed NovemberZl, 1917. Serial No. 203,106.

5 so thatA whenfthe nuts v6 l are tightened the section .3 will be clamped tightly against the resonator `1. .This fastening means VisV in addition. to the usual extension'y 8 and clamping screw .9.

The. resonator 1 is formed vwith an outer wall 10 ofiany. desired material, as for in" stance laminated wood,`said outer wall'car# rying the. usualring 11 held in place by pins 12 and normally raised slightly by the projections 13' which may be the heads of metallic tacks. Spa"ed inwardly from the wall 10 is an inner .wall or ring 14 of any desired material, as for instance laminated wood,

said wall being preferably of the same height v as the outer wall, but of'similar diameter.

which chamber is divided into a plurality of sections by a number of spaced blocks 17, said blo'ks being formed'of wood. Prefer` ably .thereare provided four of these blocks,v

though a greater or less number could be used ywithout departing from thev spirit l*of the invention, said blocks being lsecured to both the outer andinner wall, by glue or any other desired matter. Inner wall 14; is provided with a number of apertures 18 through which a wrench or key is passed when tightening up screws 19. Arranged on top of the inner wall 14 is a ring 20 of metal or other desired material, said ring being preferably 0f greater diameter than ring 11 whereby the cent-er part of the skin 21 is slightly raised. In addition to these parts the usual strings, bridge and other members found in an ordinary banjo are provided and connected in the usual manner.

In bianjos and in any other instrument using a skin for a. diaphragm it has been found that the weather affects the tone and carrying quality of the sound to a large eX- tent. For instance, in wet weather an ordinary banjo or drum will not give the proper sound nor will the sound carry a considerable distance. To overcome this objection inner wall 14 is provided whereby the distances between the vsupports for the skin 21 are reduced and the head is properly maintained taut and supported for producing a clear sound even when the weather conditions are objectionable, as for instance during rain. In small banjos the diiiiculty above mentioned is not present to any considerable extent, but is very noticeable in large banjos. By reducing the distance between the supporting rings the effect of the small banjo is secured while the volu'rne of sound of the large instrument is maintained. In addition the chamber 16 assists 'in cas ing the sound to carry.

In Fig. t will be seen a slightly modiied form ofthe invention lin which the inner wall 11i extends above wall 10, the upper end of said section being rounded so as to properly support the head '21. In this form ot' the invention wall 141 is also solid throughout as the apertures 18 are dispensed with. The apertures 18 in the preferred form could be dispensed with provided some other fastening means could be used other than the screw 19.

It will be noted. that the construction of an inner rim, outer rim and a bottom produces a resonating chamber and that the inner rim is higher thanthe outer rim so as to hold up and support the head or skin and prevent it from sagging and sinking down in the center from the pressure of strings acting on the bridge either' during fair Weather or rainy weather.

That I claim is:

l. A banjo resonator comprising `an outer circular wall, an inner circular wall spaced from the outer wall, spaced solid connecting members arranged between said walls and rigidly secured to the respective walls, said connecting members acting as division walls,

Copies of this patent may he obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of VPatents;

anda bottom member connected to said inner and outer walls at their lower edges and `to t-heiower edges oi' said connecting members whereby a plurality of chambers vare provided between said walls.

of spaced walls, a solid bottom connecting x the walls at their lower edges, the inner wall being higher than the outer wall, and solid blocks connected to said bottom and to said, walls for dividing the spaces between theM walls into compartments, and means on the A outer edge of each of said walls for engaging the head of the resonator.

fl. A banjo resonator comprising an outer wall, an inner wall spaced from the outer wail, a solid bottom connecting saidwalls at the lower part thereof, a pair of'rings arranged one on the upper edge of each oiisaid walls, the ring on the inner wall being of such size as to cause the heightvof the inner q wall to be greater than the height of the outer wall, and wooden partitions connected Effi;- to saidwalls and to said bottom for dividing y walls into compart-.-

the space between the ments.

LAVRENCE YOSCO. L

Washington, I). C. 

